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RF-111C 6 Sqn. RAAF Base Amberley 88 - completed


trickyrich

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Well through the magic of the internet and some preplanning I can start this thread away form home……….and then wait 8 weeks before I can actually start.

 

As a former “Pig Fixer” you’d have thought I’d have built one by now but I haven’t, so as to have no excuse not to I preposed this GB.

 

I’ll be building Hobby Boss’s 1/48th F-111C into hopefully time permitting, into a RF-111C I worked on operated by 6 Sqn at RAAF Base Amberley in the late 80’s.

 

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The Hobby Boss model is a nice model with heaps of detail and masses of weapons are provided even though most were never used by the RAAF. All the weapons have been removed, as the Recon bird does not require them, even though they could carry them.

 

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She’s a big beasty!

 

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I’ll be using Eduard’s BigSin set for the F-111C, lots of good stuff here, but there are issues!

 

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The decals don’t look too bad but I may replace those or some of those as well!

 

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I’ve managed to get some good reference material as well, as I don’t trust my memory!

 

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The main difference between the F-111C and the RF-111C was mainly the Recon pack. The Weapon bay doors were replaced (these door were made up of 4 panels) with the main ¾ door with faired camera openings and a smaller ¼ door. The M61 Vulcan 20mm was removed and replaced with 2 panoramic cameras (high & low altitude), 2 stills, and Infra-Red Line Scanner, and a couple of video cameras.

 

No one currently makes the recon doors in 1/48th, but I managed to find a set of 1/72nd ones, so I’ll use these as sort of masters to get the shape right.

 

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OK now for the issues with the model, and there are a few I’ve found already, basically you can’t build a Non Avionics upgrade version or a Pre-Pave Tack version either as the 20mm cannon isn’t provided. Plus the instrument panel is wrong for the non-Pave tack and Recon birds, I’ve had to an F-111A one which is correct for these.

 

Plus the F-111C didn’t have formation lights, these are moulded and have to be removed as well.

 

Finally I’m probably going to get the Scaledown Wheel Wells and Undercarriage set, for the detail and accuracy, plus it give me proper intakes wells! There are some other items I’m interested in but I’ll wait and see.

 

Again a lot depends on time, if I run short I’ll just go for the Non-Recon version, otherwise I plan to produce a resin conversion set in 1/48th for the Hobby Boss model. Now I have just to wait 8 weeks and plan!

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looks like your very well prepared with aftermarkek goodies there rich, the hobby boss kit is very well detailed,isnt it, ive had a rustle through my  hobby boss A variant and it seems that all i need to convert it to an,E upper heyford vark or F  lakenheath model are decals, and a squint ;) so im searching for decals,, with no luck so far ,the fall back will be the A combat lancer,

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On 3/26/2017 at 7:44 PM, modelling minion said:

Look forward to seeing what you do with this one Rich as she is close to your heart.

I assume she will be in the S.E.A. camo scheme going from the time frame you are building her in.

 

yeap, I do like the SEA colour scheme and she does look nice in it.

 

6 hours ago, Arniec said:

Nice, very nice!!!:coolio:

You are going for the whole shabang on it. Brave, very brave. I will follow this one with interest.:popcorn:

 

Cheers,

 

...I do have other words for it!!!  :whistle:

 

I have plans to add some more stuff to her as well, the Hobby Boss model is nice but a bit short in detail in places, and some of it is not correct. With luck I may get to come home from Korea for a few days next week, so I might get to start some work on her, will just have to wait and see. I hope to get all the basic stuff sorted out if I do.....still not sure about the Recon mods, have what i need, but time!

 

I'm not sure if I get to finish her in time, but that's ok if I don't, it will then become a long term project. 

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2 hours ago, crushkill said:

With the amount of stuff going into this bird, I can't wait to see the outcome!

 

mmmm, I reckon I may need to upgrade the undercarriage to full metal! :D  

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Ok due to some unfortunate circumstances I’m at home and have started to do some little bits on the build over the last few days.

 

I can safely say there is no way you can build an F-111C straight from the box with this model, especially an early one!! Hobby Boss looks like they didn’t put any effort into doing any real research other than possibly reading that the F-111C was a bit of a cross between an F-111A and a FB-111A. They just sort of mixed and matched bits for the A and the FB models and some extra weapon sprues and some bodgy decals! An F-111G is probably possible with the parts supplied but I’m not interested in that particular version. The decals for the SEA scheme are pretty crap as well, the code colours are wrong plus all the underside stencils are black to go on a black background!!! Plus Eduard seems to have follow all the sins that HB have made with their PE sets as well!

 

:rant:   Rant out of the way lets see what else is involved….

 

First up some nice extras have shown up.

 

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The F-111A interior bit have arrived, this has the correct IP for a Pre-Pave Tack F-111C & RF-111C aircraft, at this stage I’m still pressing ahead with the Recon version......may be!

 

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Some OzMods wheels, they look much better than the original ones, plus they have the correct nose wheel tyres (LH ones). The nose wheel tyres on the RAAF aircraft (not sure about the US, but would have though they’d have them for the same reason), have a small edge/lip on the outside face to help direct any spray or wash from the wheels away from the intakes. We lost one in NZ as a result of water ingested into the engines from super wet runway at take off.

 

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Some replacement exhaust cans, again to correct this area, one nozzle is always closed (on first engine to stop, normally the RH one which is the first again to start, the second remains open due to lose of hydraulics).

 

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The model is covered in Formation lights, a feature not present on C aircraft, but they're on G’s, so they all had to be removed.

 

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Plus I’ve started to add some of the PE detail on some spots as well.

 

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The avionics bay doors are covered in detail, which is actually not really present on C’s either, there are some faint marks just visible on the front panels in real life but not huge trenchers! So these needed to be filled in, if they are slightly visible after painting then that fine. The aft panels do not have the "I", that needed to be filled in.  Again with the G model they may be there… am not too sure.

 

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There’s an issue with the Splitter plate on the intakes, they don’t sit correctly and their shape isn’t quite right. I may have to make new ones to replace them, plus they should be thinner.

 

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I decided to build the wing up completely first, as I could really finish them quite early in the build. Even after quite a bit or prep work the trailing edge on the flaps is/was pretty poor! I need to do quite a bit of work to clean them up.

 

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They don’t look to bad when completed.

 

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The wing went together without issues, but the odd thing is the whole for the pylons are already there! You need to fill in the ones you don’t need which is a bit odd, would have been better to open the ones you need. I’m leaving the inner two sets open for the moment as I may fit the drop tanks, or abandon the recon version and do an early Pave Tack beast….depends on time.

 

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Ok for the biggest issue of the build, the decals! The kit ones are pretty rubbish, the colours are incorrect, especially the underside stencils, I mean black on black! They’ve only really supplied decals for the grey version and haven’t thought about the SEA scheme one at all. There is only one serial number available and that’s for A8-127, which actually crashed in 1993 unfortunately. I could possible modify it to 126 for a Recon bird, but again the colours are wrong, it should be the same colour as the Tan when on Green, and the Lighter Green when on the Tan. The squadron flash for 6 Sqn looks to be black and not blue, but thats just a simple masking job to sort out.

 

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No one does decals for the RAAF aircraft any more. Aussie Decals did a set years ago (P/n 48004, they’re even reused that part number for different set of decals now), but these are impossible to find. I’m going to have to have a good think about how I’m going to solve this, it won’t be easy. But I have 7 odds weeks to think about it before I can get back to this build!

 

The sad thing about this build is I’ve read all the reviews on this model and seen builds of the C version from this, and nobody's picked up on any of these issues and they're there on the built models as well. Which is bit sad really!

 

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1 hour ago, Arniec said:

mmm I know these, they're all for the Grey versions, the early SEA versions, pre 90's are what I'm after and unfortunately no body does those now!

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Due to some strange fate I’m still at home, my return trip to Korea has been delayed so I’m just sitting at home on leave waiting to head back, so extra modelling time I hadn’t planned to have.

 

So forgetting about the rest of the model I started on the hardest part, the Recon bay. I hadn’t been able to find any detailed of scaled drawings of it, so all my work is based on the cast 1/72nd version I have and some photos……and some bodge freehand sketching’s! 

 

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I really didn’t know how to tackle this, whether to scratch build it from card, carve it from modellers clay or plastic, or from bit from the spares box. Whichever way I did it the result would be used as a master to make a mould so I can cast the final piece.

 

 I eventually decided to try and scratch build it from card, so started making up the original bomb bay door.

 

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After a bit of thinking I decided not to destroy the original door, so I made a copy from heavy plastic card.

 

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Ok skip 3 or 4 hours (forgot photos as usual) and I’m starting to get the shape. I’m using really thin plastic sheet to build this and it may or may not have been a good idea……

 

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The scratch built section will be added to this heavy plastic card, then everything shaped to match to fuselage profile.

 

I’m completely ditching the bomb bay interior, I had for a brief moment of madness thought about building the recon bay, but I do actually want to build this model! So I’m using sprue to give his area strength and hold it’s shape.

 

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The first test fit……not too bad, it’s started to get the right shape I’m after.

 

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I’ve skinned the Pano cameras fairing, it looks ok but I’m wonder if I should have made that from solid sheet! I’ll cut the openings out and add some sheet plastic there for strength and profile.

 

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I don’t normally use “Green Stuff”, but it suits my purposes here. There’s quite a bit of sanding required plus I need to fill the camera openings. Once that’s done I’ll make the first cast and use that to do the final shaping as well as add some detail before I cast the final piece.

 

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The decal issues still concern me, I may have to have a go at printing my own for some of them as I just can’t seem to find any. The 6 Sqn flash I’ll mask, the serial numbers, I can get the correct white ones of those, the camo ones nup, and the other stuff……we’ll see how we go.

 

I’ll stop playing with the Recon door today and either do some actual building of this or play with the Osa-1.

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11 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Great job on the recon bay Rich it looks very good.

I understand your frustration on finding decals for SEA camo F-111C's, I have the upgraded Academy kit but really don't want to build it in the grey scheme.

actually at the moment it is not too to get aftermarket parts for the F-111 easily.... 

111s not very popular at the moment it seems! :(

 

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4 hours ago, exdraken said:

actually at the moment it is not too to get aftermarket parts for the F-111 easily.... 

111s not very popular at the moment it seems! :(

 

 

yeah for some reason it's sort of been forgotten about, all the models out there are showing their age now and there isn't really a truely accurate F-111 around.

 

AM stuff there is a little bit, some good some bad, but could be improved a lot, nothing for the RF version at all worth mentioning. That's why I'm going to cast my Recon door when finished, if I get it right I'll release it for sale. 

 

Decals are really had to get really for any version. Grey RAAF ones are available but nothing for the early SEA scheme ones! 

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4 hours ago, trickyrich said:

 

yeah for some reason it's sort of been forgotten about, all the models out there are showing their age now and there isn't really a truely accurate F-111 around.

 

AM stuff there is a little bit, some good some bad, but could be improved a lot, nothing for the RF version at all worth mentioning. That's why I'm going to cast my Recon door when finished, if I get it right I'll release it for sale. 

 

Decals are really had to get really for any version. Grey RAAF ones are available but nothing for the early SEA scheme ones! 

Yeah.... recon doors where announced years ago......

The RF was actually used operationally if my memory serves me right, no? Over Indosesia in the 2000s ??

 

We also need actally good nozzles once and for all!! Aires or North Star style!!! 

 

@CaracalModels , are you listening? 

Early Aussi Vaark decals Should sell similarely well as your Aussi Mirage decals! Anf whem doing the FB-already this summer

Edited by exdraken
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On 05/04/2017 at 6:09 PM, trickyrich said:

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They don’t look to bad when completed.

 

The wing went together without issues, but the odd thing is the whole for the pylons are already there! You need to fill in the ones you don’t need which is a bit odd, would have been better to open the ones you need. I’m leaving the inner two sets open for the moment as I may fit the drop tanks, or abandon the recon version and do an early Pave Tack beast….depends on time.

 

 

 

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G'day Rich, nice start!

 

I will say this up front, this kit makes me mad.  I think the HB kit is a real POS because it was an opportunity to finally get a really detailed 1/48 F-111 family of kits without recourse to aftermarket and instead they copied many of the Academy errors and introduced several of their own.

 

A case in point is the wings. At last, an injected 1/48 F-111 kit that includes  flaps and slats down (hooray!) but, HB only got it half right. When the flaps are deployed, the panels on the underside of the wing trailing edge fold upwards to form a divergent duct that will energise and accelerate the airflow over the flaps. HB mold these panels flush (boo!), which is fine if you want the slats and flaps tucked in. It would have been better to offer these as separate items instead of having two complete engines that most people will bury inside the fuselage.

 

The splitter plate is a another example, HB supply the part as a flat plate but there is a subtle kink in the upper corner(Academy got this wrong as well) to allow for movement of the inlet spike. Does the HB kit supply the splitter plate fuselage stand-offs?

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

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16 minutes ago, Pappy said:

A case in point is the wings. At last, an injected 1/48 F-111 kit that includes  flaps and slats down (hooray!) but, HB only got it half right. When the flaps are deployed, the panels on the underside of the wing trailing edge fold upwards to form a divergent duct that will energise and accelerate the airflow over the flaps. HB mold these panels flush (boo!), which is fine if you want the slats and flaps tucked in. It would have been better to offer these as separate items instead of having two complete engines that most people will bury inside the fuselage.

 

The splitter plate is a another example, HB supply the part as a flat plate but there is a subtle kink in the upper corner(Academy got this correct) to allow for movement of the inlet spike. Does the HB kit supply the splitter plate fuselage stand-offs?

 

mmm don't get me started again with this model...but you're 100% right!!

 

Opps I didn't realize that with the flaps! I'll have to investigate that further....gosh I wonder how hard will it be to modify or should I be done with it and leave them up? The only time you saw them set down was when the Framies were playing with them, parked they were always up. This may be the simpler option.

 

I'll take photos of the intakes bits & pieces, but the splitter plant has to be replaced, beside being the wrong shape it's too think. So another  area to be sorted out. To cover the gapping hole halfway down the intakes, I'll make a set of intake covers.

 

On a good note I've made good progress on the Recon bay, nearly ready to cast.....my only worry is it may be a wee bit too deep! It's rally hard to tell for sure without detailed drawing or really good side on photos!

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14 minutes ago, trickyrich said:

 

mmm don't get me started again with this model...but you're 100% right!!

 

Opps I didn't realize that with the flaps! I'll have to investigate that further....gosh I wonder how hard will it be to modify or should I be done with it and leave them up? The only time you saw them set down was when the Framies were playing with them, parked they were always up. This may be the simpler option.

 

I'll take photos of the intakes bits & pieces, but the splitter plant has to be replaced, beside being the wrong shape it's too think. So another  area to be sorted out. To cover the gapping hole halfway down the intakes, I'll make a set of intake covers.

 

On a good note I've made good progress on the Recon bay, nearly ready to cast.....my only worry is it may be a wee bit too deep! It's rally hard to tell for sure without detailed drawing or really good side on photos!

 

The usual practice with flaps and slats was to leave these down during the week (for Area 3 AF /BF's) and drive them  up (electrically) with a -60 on Fridays to prevent birds and other wildlife nesting in them over the weekend.

 

As for correction, you could use a razor saw to make the chordwise cuts along the panel lines and then scribe along the forward panel line to allow them to be bent upwards. This will mean you will be scribing through the engraved  piano hinge detail, but most people will not notice.

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’ve been really slow in posting this update, so slow in fact I’m about to hop on-board my slow boat to Australia in a couple of day, so I’d best get it out of the way!!

 

I have done a lot more than seen here but a lot of time has been spent on the Recon door, but it’s very close to being ready for casting.

 

 Ok the update, as usual there are more issues with this model, one I posted in the chat section, basically HB didn’t check what the tail end of the engines looked like! So instead of having 6 supports for the tail can that also contain the actuators for the exhaust petals they have 5! Maybe ok if you didn’t know it but once seen it can’t be unseen.

 

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"One of these is not like the other!"

 

Luckily the ScaleDown resin units are correct, but Eduard just seemed to have followed HB’s mistakes plus added a few of their own! They somehow got the C’s tail cans muddled up with the F’s! Again simple research will sort that out. They wanted you to fit a band on the tail can which is only present of the F model engines!

 

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Completed they look like this, not 100% correct but much better that the originals!

 

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We don't talk about the petals on the tail cans.......

 

I’ve started on the nose and main gear wheel wells and the gear assembly itself. I won’t spend too much time on these as they’ll not be seen, but they’ll look good.

 

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Before I started sorting out the intakes, I needed to join the two major section of the rear fuselage together. I’ve noticed in all builds for the HB F-111 that this can cause issues. I’m not fitting the weapons bay, which this doesn’t help with the already problematic fuselage fit at all. To sort this out I taped everything together in the right position with the crew module in place then added sprue braces and guides /supports to keep the forward section of fuselage in the correct position. After lots of fiddling I think it’s all in the correct position…hopefully.

 

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Now for the next issue with this model, the intakes. While the intake is sort ok, it lacks the vortex generators and any depth to the intakes, plus the most noticeable error the shape of the splitter plates.

 

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Even though this is an F-111A it still have the same intakes and splitter plate, you can see the shape I'm talking about.

 

The kit plates are completely flat and too thick, the actual aircraft ones are quite thin in real life and have a district curve at the top on then looking head on. Plus they are not completely hard up against the intakes themselves.

 

I decided to make up some new plates from sheet about half the thickness of the kit ones.  It took a few attempts to get the curve right using different methods, but the final results I am quite happy with.

 

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Their position with relationship the fuselage will be done once the intakes are finally fitted to the fuselage, as there are three support between the splinter plates and fuselage required. These will help position them correctly.

 

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All together they it starts to look much better, the Recon door even though it’s been really time consuming, is starting to look nice. My only concern is that it maybe a wee bit to deep! Again without actual drawings all I can go with are photos and true profile ones just don’t exist.

 

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Now I get to sit and watch all the other builds progress and mine just sit there. Am again in Korea, and with luck will start the 5 week trip to Aust. on Sunday….hopefully! Not sure what the internet will be like but hopefully will be able to follow everyone else’s build.

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G'day Rich,

 

Really nice work with the splitter plate, I kinda wished I had a crack now. A question on the engine PE set (48668), do the engine exhaust liners liners (the curved sections that go inside the cans) have the 'ripple' pattern as per the first two pics in your last update? The interiors of the Academy cans are very bland, I was thinking the PE (I realise it is sized for the HB kit) may breathe some life into them,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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5 hours ago, Pappy said:

G'day Rich,

 

Really nice work with the splitter plate, I kinda wished I had a crack now. A question on the engine PE set (48668), do the engine exhaust liners liners (the curved sections that go inside the cans) have the 'ripple' pattern as per the first two pics in your last update? The interiors of the Academy cans are very bland, I was thinking the PE (I realise it is sized for the HB kit) may breathe some life into them,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

yes and no.....  they give the insides of the cans some life but I suspect as with everything else they're not quite right. But they make it look sort of right. I just wished I'd spent some time thinning them down a bit as they are quite think.

 

Actually if you look at the photo of the PE bits at the top you'll get an idea of the detail they have.

 

Unfortunately I can't take a detailed photo for you....well not for another 6 weeks anyway! :D

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Highly interesting!

An RF-111C would have been my choice too, but I've still to wait a few month before glueing sanding and airbrushing again.

By the way, how does HB F-111 compare to Academy's, when you think RF-111C?

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